NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2026

by | Jan 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 9, 2026

Red Wings forward Patrick Kane reaches a notable scoring milestone, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon reclaims the lead in the scoring race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Patrick Kane scored twice to become the fifth U.S.-born NHL player to reach 500 career regular-season goals as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-1. Jake DeBrusk scored for the Canucks (16-22-5), who are winless in their last five games (0-3-2). The Red Wings improved to 26-15-4.

Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kane joined Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538), Jeremy Roenick (513), and Joe Mullen (502). He’s also the first to reach that milestone since Tkachuk in April 2008.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists to reclaim the lead in the NHL scoring race (78 points) as his club thumped the Ottawa Senators 8-2. Brock Nelson and Josh Manson each tallied two goals for the league-leading Avalanche (32-4-7, 71 points) as they snapped a two-game losing skid. Shane Pinto and Brady Tkachuk replied for the 20-18-5 Senators, who have only two wins in their last eight games (2-7-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators signed free-agent James Reimer in an effort to shore up their struggling goaltending. Reimer, 37, could join the club this weekend.

Earlier in the day, the Senators released a statement expressing extreme disappointment with social media posts regarding starting goalie Linus Ullmark. This is in response to what the club called “fabricated and false stories” regarding the reason behind Ullmark’s leave of absence for personal reasons.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid extended his points streak with a goal and an assist to nip the Winnipeg Jets 4-3, leaving the latter winless in their last 11 games (0-7-4). Evan Bouchard snapped a 3-3 tie midway through the third period for the Oilers (22-16-6). Kyle Connor had a goal and an assist for the Jets, who dropped to 15-22-5.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1. Evgeni Malkin scored in his first game since being sidelined by an upper-body injury on Dec. 4, and Sidney Crosby had two assists to push his points streak to eight games for the 21-12-9 Penguins, extending their winning streak to six games. Luke Hughes scored for the Devils (22-20-2), who are 2-6-1 in their last eight contests.

Montreal Canadiens winger Alexandre Texier netted his first NHL hat trick in a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. Oliver Kapanen had a goal and two assists as the Canadiens (25-13-6) picked up their third straight win and sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. Sam Bennett tallied both goals for the 22-18-3 Panthers, who have dropped seven straight games to the Canadiens since the 2023-24 season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Panthers winger Brad Marchand missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an undisclosed ailment. Meanwhile, TSN’s Chris Johnston said the chances were pretty high for sidelined Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov (knee) to return to action this season, most likely during the playoffs.

Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo stopped 28 shots to douse the Calgary Flames 4-1. Sean Kuraly had a goal and an assist for the 23-19-2 Bruins, who have three wins in their last four games. Connor Zary scored for the Flames (18-22-4) as their losing skid reached four games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Flames winger Blake Coleman left this game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. Earlier in the day, the Flames announced that rookie defenseman Zayne Perekh is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered during the recent World Junior Championship.

The Buffalo Sabres picked up their 12th win in their last 13 games by dropping the New York Rangers 5-2. Mattias Samuelsson, Jason Zucker, and Ryan McLeod each had a goal and an assist for the 23-15-4 Sabres. Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck scored for the Rangers (20-19-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers captain J.T. Miller returned to action after missing the last two weeks with an upper-body injury.

An overtime goal by Easton Cowan lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Scott Laughton scored against his former club, and Dennis Hildeby made 22 saves for the Maple Leafs (21-15-7) as they extended their points streak to eight games (6-0-2). Travis Konecny scored for the 22-12-8 Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Konecny left the game at the end of the second period with an upper-body injury.

The Carolina Hurricanes picked up their third straight win by downing the Anaheim Ducks 5-2. Jalen Chatfield, Logan Stankoven, and Taylor Hall each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (27-14-3), who sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with 57 points. Ryan Poehling and Mikael Granlund replied for the Ducks (21-20-3), who are 0-7-1 in their last eight games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ducks winger Troy Terry missed this game as he’s day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone scored to extend his goal streak to six games in a 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Stone finished with three points, and Reilly Smith tallied twice for the Golden Knights (19-11-12), who hold first place in the Pacific Division with 50 points. Boone Jenner and Sean Monahan each had two points for the Blue Jackets, who dropped to 18-18-7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart left this game in the first period with a lower-body injury. Earlier in the day, they placed defenseman Brayden McNabb (upper body) on injured reserve. Meanwhile, Blue Jackets defenseman Brendan Smith will be sidelined for three to four months after undergoing knee surgery on Jan. 6.

The Minnesota Wild got an overtime goal from Mats Zuccarello to defeat the Seattle Kraken 3-2. Kirill Kaprizov had two assists for the 26-11-8 Wild. Adam Larsson and Matty Beniers scored for the Kraken (20-14-8), who extended their points streak to 10 games (8-0-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle missed this game with an undisclosed injury.

Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros stopped 30 shots, and Filip Forsberg scored in the shootout for a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders. Ryan O’Reilly scored in regulation for the Predators (20-19-4). Simon Holmstrom tallied for the 24-15-5 Islanders.

IN OTHER NEWS…

TSN: Seven NHL players will be part of Slovakia’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s hockey tournament. Forwards include Juraj Slafkovsky of the Montreal Canadiens, Dalibor Dvorsky of the St. Louis Blues, Martin Pospisil of the Calgary Flames, and Pavol Regenda of the San Jose Sharks. Defensemen include Erik Cernak of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Martin Fehervary of the St. Louis Blues, and Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils.

THE ATHLETIC: St. Louis Blues head coach Jim Montgomery denied that starting goalie Jordan Binnington refused to be pulled from their 7-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. He also denied that backup Joel Hofer appeared to be hiding in the tunnel behind the Blues’ bench.

Montgomery explained that he attempted to pull Binnington after Chicago scored its seventh goal, and Binnington was waiting for Hofer to replace him before heading to the bench. However, Hofer was not fully dressed because he had to watch the game from the dressing room due to a lack of room on the St. Louis bench. Play had resumed by the time Hofer was ready to go.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks acquired backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit, depth defenseman Nolan Allen, and a 2028 seventh-round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the contract of permanently sidelined defenseman Ryan Ellis, minor-league defenseman Jake Furlong, and a 2028 fourth-round pick.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Jack McGregor, a former Pennsylvania state senator who founded the Pittsburgh Penguins, died on Tuesday at age 91. He was the team’s first president and chief executive officer from 1967 to 1970.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to McGregor’s family, colleagues, and the Penguins’ organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

by | Jan 6, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 6, 2026

Recaps of Monday’s games, the three stars of the week are revealed, injury updates, contract signings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S ACTION

NHL.COM: The Utah Mammoth’s 3-2 win over the New York Rangers was overshadowed by a lower-body injury suffered by Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin with seven minutes remaining in the first period. Following the game, head coach Mike Sullivan said the former Vezina Trophy winner was undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (NHL Images).

Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi scored in overtime for the 20-20-3 Mammoth, who got regulation goals from Dylan Guenther and Michael Carcone. Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck tallied for the 20-18-6 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Losing Shesterkin for a significant period of time could be devastating for the Rangers’ efforts to secure a playoff berth. Following the game, the Mammoth traded defenseman Juuso Valimaki to the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations.

The Los Angeles Kings doubled up the Minnesota Wild 4-2. Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves while Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who improved to 18-14-9. Jared Spurgeon had a goal and an assist for the 25-11-8 Wild, as their six-game points streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was a costly win for the Kings as captain Anze Kopitar left the game with a lower-body injury and winger Joel Armia departed with an upper-body injury. After the game, it was reported that Kopitar left the dressing room without any apparent limp. There was no update on Armia’s status.

Washington Capitals rookie winger Justin Sourdif tallied his first NHL hat trick in a 7-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Sourdif also collected two assists to finish the night with five points, while Alex Ovechkin scored twice and Connor McMichael picked up four assists for the 22-15-6 Capitals. Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Jacob Trouba, and Beckett Sennecke replied for the Ducks (21-18-3) as their winless skid reached six games (0-5-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Capitals winger Tom Wilson missed this game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, the Ducks have two wins in their last dozen games. They’ve tumbled from first place to fifth in the Pacific Division, leaving them clinging to the final Western Conference wildcard berth.

The Seattle Kraken got a 41-save performance from goaltender Philipp Grubauer to defeat the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-1. Vince Dunn and Matty Beniers each had a goal and an assist for the 19-14-7 Kraken, who extended their points streak to eight games (7-0-1). Adam Klapka scored for the Flames (18-20-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kraken winger Jordan Eberle played in his 1,100th career NHL regular-season game. Speaking of the Flames, prospect defenseman Zayne Parekh set a record for most points by a Canadian blueliner in a World Junior Championship tournament, finishing with 13 as Canada took home the bronze medal in the 2026 WJC.

A three-goal first period powered the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. John Gibson made 35 saves while James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists for the 25-15-4 Red Wings, who regained first place in the Atlantic Division with 54 points. Tim Stutzle collected two assists to extend his point streak to 13 games for the Senators (20-16-5).

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews were the league’s three stars for the week ending Jan. 4, 2026.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn will miss the start of the club’s six-game road trip due to facial injuries suffered during the third period of Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

SPORTSNET/TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs winger William Nylander was placed on injured reserve. Defenseman Jake McCabe will be sidelined for a week with a lower-body injury.

TSN: Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The Panthers hope he’ll return to action before the Olympic break in February.

BOSTON.COM: Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm will miss some time due to an undisclosed injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: The San Jose Sharks placed defenseman John Klingberg on injured reserve.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Flyers signed Christian Dvorak to a five-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $5.15 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dvorak has played a key role in the rebuilding Flyers improvement this season. The 29-year-old two-way center has nine goals and 25 points in 39 games, putting him on track for a career-best 18 goals and 50 points.

Dvorak might not be able to maintain that level of production throughout this new contract. Nevertheless, the Flyers see him as a key part of their future. He’s currently on a one-year, $5.4 million contract. With the salary cap rising significantly over the next two seasons, his new cap hit won’t take a significant chunk out of the Flyers’ cap payroll.

TSN: The St. Louis Blues signed forward Alexey Toropchenko to a two-year contract worth an AAV of $2.5 million.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins placed defenseman Egor Zamula on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Zamula could sign with another NHL club once his contract is officially terminated on Tuesday.

TSN: Defenseman Jack Johnson officially retired as an NHL player, joining the Vancouver Canucks as a pro scout.

In 19 NHL seasons (2006-07 to 2024-25), Johnson had 342 points in 1,128 regular-season games with the Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks. He also had 21 points in 57 playoff games and won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

NHL.COM: Former player, coach, and general manager Bob Pulford died on Monday at age 89.

Pulford spent 16 seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings from 1956-57 to 1971-72. He spent 14 of those seasons with the Leafs, winning four Stanley Cups. He had 281 goals and 643 points in 1,079 regular-season games, and 51 points in 89 playoff games. In 1991, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Following his playing career, Pulford went on to spend five seasons coaching the Kings, winning the Jack Adams Award in 1974-75. He went on to spend five years coaching the Chicago Blackhawks and served as their general manager during four different periods between 1977 and 2005.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Pulford’s family, friends, former teammates, and colleagues.










NHL Rumor Mill – January 2, 2026

by | Jan 2, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – January 2, 2026

Are the Wild planning another big trade? What’s the biggest need for the Red Wings? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Michael Russo and Joe Smith believe Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin isn’t done making moves following last month’s blockbuster acquisition of Quinn Hughes.

Russo and Smith believe Guerin wouldn’t have given up four huge pieces (Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren, 2026 first-round pick) for Hughes if the Wild weren’t trying to win right now.

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin (NHL Images).

They believe Guerin will take another big swing in the trade market, “probably for a center”, drawing on their draft picks and prospects as bait. The Wild also has an estimated $12.9 million in trade-deadline cap space.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Wild haven’t won a playoff round since 2015. The furthest they ever went in the playoffs was the Western Conference Final in 2003. Their current roster has the potential to become a Stanley Cup contender for the next few years, making this an opportune time to bolster their depth accordingly.

Finding a good center won’t be easy in the current trade market.

Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames, Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues, and Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators are the most notable centers mentioned in trade rumors this season.

However, the Flames insist they’re not interested in moving Kadri, the decline in Schenn’s performance this season could make him less enticing than he was last season, and O’Reilly’s reported unwillingness to be traded could force Guerin to shop around.

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman believes the Detroit Red Wings must bolster their defense before the March 6 trade deadline.

They have a strong first pairing with Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson. Meanwhile, Ben Chiarot has played well this season on the second pairing along with rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka.

However, Sandin-Pellikka has been playing somewhat sheltered minutes. He might not be up to the task of being a second-pairing defenseman in postseason action when the play becomes more physical.

Bultman suggested adding an experienced No. 4 or 5 defenseman before the deadline. Possibilities could include Justin Faulk of the St. Louis Blues, Connor Murphy of the Chicago Blackhawks, and Brett Kulak of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Rasmus Anderson of the Calgary Flames is the biggest name for defensemen in the trade market. However, the Red Wings aren’t likely to get into a bidding war for an expensive postseason rental player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Red Wings are currently flying high in the standings, sitting first in the Eastern Conference. GM Steve Yzerman isn’t under any pressure right now to make a move, but he could go shopping for a blueliner by the deadline.

Yzerman caught flak from Detroit fans, pundits, and Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin for his inactivity at last season’s trade deadline. It’s doubtful he’ll sit on his hands this season.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2026

by | Jan 1, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – January 1, 2026

The Predators’ Steven Stamkos and the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon reach scoring milestones, the Sabres tie their franchise wins record, Canada’s Men’s Olympic hockey roster is announced, and more in the first NHL Morning Coffee Headlines of the New Year.

RECAPPING WEDNESDAY’S NHL GAMES

NHL.COM: Steven Stamkos tallied his 600th career NHL regular-season goal as the Nashville Predators overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2. Luke Evangelista collected two assists for the 18-17-4 Predators, who’ve won five of their last six games. Mark Stone and Ben Hutton scored for the Golden Knights (17-10-11), who have one win in their last seven contests (1-4-2).

Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos is the 22nd player in NHL history to reach the 600-goal plateau. He can overtake Jarri Kurri (601), Dino Ciccarelli (608), and Bobby Hull (610) to move into 19th place before the end of this season. Stamkos also has a chance to surpass Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic (625 each), but at his current rate of production, he might have to wait until next season to do so.

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, including his 400th career NHL regular-season goal, and Valeri Nichushkin netted a hat trick in a 6-1 drubbing of the St. Louis Blues. MacKinnon also collected two assists as the league-leading Avalanche (67 points) won their ninth straight game, becoming the first time this season to reach 30 wins. Dalibor Dvorsky replied for the 15-18-8 Blues.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon is tied with Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid for the points lead (70), but he’s running away with the goal-scoring lead with 34, sitting nine ahead of Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy and Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie.

The Buffalo Sabres tied a franchise record with their 10th straight win by upsetting the Dallas Stars 4-1. Tage Thompson scored twice and picked up an assist for the 21-14-4 Sabres. Mavrik Bourque netted the only goal for the Stars (25-8-7), who are winless in their last three games (0-1-2).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: With the win, the Sabres finished 2025 holding the final wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference with 46 points. When they began the month, they were only one point out of last place in the Conference. Before this game, the Sabres announced that goalie Alex Lyon had returned to Buffalo for further evaluation for a lower-body injury and activated goalie Colten Ellis from injured reserve.

Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak had two goals and an assist as his club ended a six-game losing skid with a 6-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Elias and Hampus Lindholm each had a goal and an assist while Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves for the 21-18-2 Bruins. Zach Hyman and Jack Roslovic scored for the Oilers (20-15-6).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers captain Connor McDavid picked up an assist to extend his points streak to 14 games.

An overtime goal by Darren Raddysh lifted the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 4-3. Raddysh and Nikita Kucherov each had a goal and an assist, while Brandon Hagel collected three assists for the 23-13-3 Lightning, who have won five straight games. Jansen Harkins, Beckett Sennecke, and Mason McTavish tallied for the Ducks (21-16-3), who are winless in their last four games (0-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the 1,000th career NHL regular-season game for Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, making him the 32nd bench boss in league history to achieve that milestone. Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak returned to action after missing 17 games with an injured hand.

Before this game, the Ducks announced that forward Frank Vatrano suffered a shoulder fracture during their Dec. 27 game against the Los Angeles Kings and is out for six weeks.

Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson scored twice and picked up an assist in a 6-3 win over the New York Rangers. Justin Sourdif also had two goals for the Capitals, who improved to 20-14-5. Adam Fox had a goal and an assist in his first game since Nov. 29 as his Rangers (19-18-5) have one win in their last five games (1-3-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rangers forwards Conor Sheary and Noah Laba left this game with injuries.

The Detroit Red Wings held off the Winnipeg Jets 2-1. Dylan Larkin and Mason Appleton scored for the 24-14-3 Red Wings, who hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 51 points. Logan Stanley replied for the 15-19-4 Jets, who remain without a win in their last seven games (0-4-3).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the first time that former Chicago Blackhawks teammates Patrick Kane (now with the Red Wings) and Jonathan Toews (Jets) faced each other in an NHL game. The duo was the nucleus of the Blackhawks’ three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015.

Toews stepped away from the game at the end of the 2022-23 campaign for health reasons before staging a comeback this season. Kane was shipped to the New York Rangers before the 2023 trade deadline.

San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini had a goal and an assist, and also netted the winning goal in a shootout to give his club a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Igor Chernyshov also had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (20-17-3) as they picked up their third straight victory. Vladimir Tarasenko, Marcus Foligno, and Mats Zuccarello replied for the 24-10-7 Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Celebrini has points in nine straight games.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Nico Hischier, Arseny Gritsyuk, and Luke Hughes lifted the New Jersey Devils over the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Hughes finished with two points for the 21-17-2 Devils, ending a four-game winless skid. Mason Marchment and Charlie Coyle tallied for the Blue Jackets (17-16-6).

Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund scored to extend his point streak to six games in a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Dustin Wolf stopped 26 shots, and Connor Zary had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who picked up their third straight win and improved to 18-18-4. Travis Konecny replied for the 20-12-7 Flyers.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Team Canada officially named its roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.

Forwards:

Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks)
Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Bo Horvat (New York Islanders)
Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)
Brad Marchand (Florida Panthers)
Mitch Marner (Vegas Golden Knights)
Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)
Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers)
Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights)
Nick Suzuki (Montreal Canadiens)
Tom Wilson (Washington Capitals)

Defensemen:

Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings)
Thomas Harley (Dallas Stars)
Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche)
Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets)
Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues)
Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia Flyers)
Shea Theodore (Vegas Golden Knights)
Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche)

Goaltenders:

Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues)
Darcy Kuemper (Los Angeles Kings)
Logan Thompson (Washington Capitals)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This roster mostly consists of players who skated for Canada in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

The biggest change is in net, as Kuemper and Thompson replaced the sidelined Adin Hill and the struggling Sam Montembeault. Nevertheless, the goaltending remains a question mark for Canada, especially given Binnington’s difficulties in goal this season.

Notable players passed over by Canada’s selection committee include Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, Boston Bruins winger Morgan Geekie, and Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett.

The exclusion of Bennett was the biggest surprise. He played well for Canada in the 4 Nations tournament and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in June as the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup.

ESPN.COM: Emily Kaplan reports Utah Mammoth winger Clayton Keller, Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson, and Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones will be named to Team USA’s Men’s Olympic roster. New York Rangers blueliner Adam Fox did not make the cut.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Team USA’s roster will be officially announced on Jan. 2. Fox’s absence is a surprise, as he was part of their 4 Nations’ roster last February. Kaplan indicated that Rangers personnel involved with Team USA, including Rangers general manager Chris Drury, pushed hard for Fox but understood the decision due to Team USA’s depth at the blueline.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev is expected to miss significant time with a groin injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a difficult season for the 36-year-old Tanev. Injuries have already limited him to 11 games this season.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW/PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins traded winger Philip Tomasino to the Flyers in exchange for defenseman Yegor Zamula.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This is a swap of players who weren’t working out with their now-former clubs.

NHL.COM: Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Lowell MacDonald died on Dec. 28 at the age of 84. He spent seven of his 13-season NHL career with the Penguins, and also skated for the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings. He had 180 goals and 210 assists for 390 points in 506 regular-season games between 1961-62 and 1977-78, and 22 points in 31 playoff contests.

Injuries hampered MacDonald during his playing career. His best seasons were with the Penguins. He was named to the All-Star Game twice and was the first Penguins player to win an NHL award, taking home the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1972-73.

Following his playing career, MacDonald spent two decades at the University School of Milwaukee as a teacher, Athletic Director, and coach. A native of Thorburn, Nova Scotia, he was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Growing up in Nova Scotia during the 1970s, there weren’t many “Bluenoser” NHL players for me to cheer for back then. I didn’t get to see MacDonald play often unless the Penguins were playing the Montreal Canadiens or Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada. Nevertheless, I followed his career closely in The Hockey News and other sports publications.

MacDonald was a trailblazer for Nova Scotia-born hockey players—my condolences to his family, friends, and former teammates.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2025

by | Dec 29, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 29, 2025

Recapping Sunday’s action, plus the latest on Senators goalie Linus Ullmark, Blues winger Jordan Kyrou, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S GAMES

NHL.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Justin Brazeau tallied his first career NHL hat trick in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Bryan Rust scored two goals, and Ryan Shea collected three assists for the Penguins, who improved to 16-12-9. Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno scored in his first game since being sidelined for 19 games with an injured hand, but his club (14-18-6) has dropped seven of its last eight contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Blackhawks were struggling before centers Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar were sidelined by injuries, but their absence accelerated their slide in the standings. Speaking of Nazar, he was placed on injured reserve with a facial injury and is expected to be out for another three weeks.

An overtime goal by Simon Edvinsson lifted the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Moritz Seider and Mason Appleton also scored, and Cam Talbot stopped 25 shots for the Red Wings (23-14-3), who sit in first place in the Atlantic Division with 49 points. Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson replied for the Leafs (17-15-6), who got a 33-save performance from Dennis Hildeby.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edvinsson earned praise from his teammates when he “rose from the dead” after being injured by a John Tavares shot while killing a penalty in the second period. He and Seider are among the best defense pairings in the league this season.

The Maple Leafs played without winger William Nylander, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and questionable for Tuesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov tallied twice in regulation, and Gage Goncalves scored the shootout winner to nip the Montreal Canadiens 5-4. It was the Lightning’s fourth straight win, improving their record to 22-13-3. The Canadiens (20-12-6) overcame a 4-1 deficit in the third period as Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tampa Bay forward Brandon Hagel returned to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Lightning made a minor trade, shipping forward Boris Katchouk to the Minnesota Wild for forward Michael Milne.

Three unanswered third-period goals by Ivan Provorov, Kirill Marchenko, and Cole Sillinger gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders. Marchenko finished the game with two goals while Sean Monahan and Denton Mateychuk each had two assists for the 16-15-6 Blue Jackets. Max Shabonov and Bo Horvat scored for the Islanders (21-14-4).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Things got ugly early in the second period when Blue Jackets winger Mason Marchment clipped Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer by sticking out his right leg, prompting Isles forward Mathew Barzal to slash Marchment’s right foot with his stick. That earned Barzal a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, and he could face supplemental discipline by the league’s department of player safety. Marchment received two minutes for tripping Schaefer, who was uninjured on the play.

Before this game, the Blue Jackets placed defenseman Zach Werenski (lower body) on injured reserve and activated forward Mathieu Olivier off the IR list.

The Seattle Kraken defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1. Eeli Tolvanen scored two goals and picked up an assist while Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves for the 16-14-6 Kraken, who extended their win streak to four games. Carl Grundstrom replied for the Flyers (19-11-7).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Kraken activated winger Jared McCann off injured reserve for this game. Defenseman Vince Dunn also returned to action after missing their previous game with an upper-body injury. Both were held scoreless in this contest.

IN OTHER NEWS…

OTTAWA SUN: Senators starting goaltender Linus Ullmark is taking a leave of absence for personal reasons. There is no timetable for his return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sun’s Bruce Garrioch observed that this season has been a difficult one for Ullmark, with a 2.95 goals-against average and a save percentage of .881. He noted that Ullmark was pulled from Saturday’s 7-5 loss to the Maple Leafs after giving up four goals on 14 shots.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues winger Jordan Kyrou has been activated off IR after missing nine games with a lower-body injury. They also activated winger Jimmy Snuggerud, who underwent wrist surgery earlier in the month.

SPORTSNET: The NHL’s department of player safety fined Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell $5,000.00 for high-sticking Lightning winger Jake Guentzel, and fined Lightning forward Scott Sabourin $2,081.23 for slashing Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola. Both incidents occurred during Saturday’s game between the two clubs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s been a tough weekend for Sabourin. In addition to his fine, he was knocked to the ice by a punch from Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj during a fight between the two on Sunday. Sabourin left that game and didn’t return.

TSN: Penguins forward Danton Heinen and Edmonton Oilers forward Noah Philp are among six players placed on waivers on Sunday.

PUCKPEDIA: Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Yegor Zamula has changed agents. He’s in the final season of a two-year contract with a cap hit of $1.7 million, but he could be willing to terminate that deal to sign with another NHL club for less money.

RDS: Former NHL forward Guy Chouinard passed away on Sunday at age 69.

Chouinard spent 10 seasons in the NHL from 1974-75 to 1983-84, beginning with the Atlanta Flames and following them to Calgary in 1980. He spent nine of his 10 seasons with the Flames organization, with his best season being his 50-goal, 107-point performance in the 1978-79 season. In 578 regular-season games, Chouinard had 205 goals and 370 assists for 575 points, along with 37 points in 46 playoff contests.

Following his playing days, Chouinard became a coach in the QMJHL, finishing third all-time in wins among that league’s coaches with 569. He was inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame in 2005.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Chouinard’s family, friends, teammates, and his former QMJHL players.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2025

by | Dec 22, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – December 22, 2025

Sidney Crosby surpasses Mario Lemieux as the Penguins’ all-time points leader, Oilers captain Connor McDavid overtakes Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon for the lead in the scoring race, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Sidney Crosby scored and collected an assist to surpass Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ all-time points leader (1,724) in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Rickard Rakell also had a goal and an assist and tallied the game-winner as the Penguins (15-11-9) ended an eight-game winless skid (0-4-4). Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Juraj Slafkovsky each had two points for the 19-12-5 Canadiens.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby also moved past Lemieux into eighth place among the NHL’s all-time points leaders. He needs 32 points to surpass Steve Yzerman (1,755) for seventh. Crosby now needs 46 goals to break Lemieux’s all-time franchise goals record of 690.

Lemieux applauded Crosby’s achievement in a 30-second video message that was played later in the first period. Crosby was humble after the game, praising Lemieux for what he’s done for the Penguins. “I don’t think you can put a stat line or a number on what he means to this team and to hockey, so yeah, in my mind, he’s No. 1,” Crosby said.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens announced goaltender Sam Montembeault will rejoin the roster ahead of next Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Montembeault was loaned to the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate in Laval last week on a conditioning stint.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored for the fourth straight game and collected two assists as his club held off the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 4-3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tallied twice and collected an assist, and Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman each had two points for the 18-13-6 Oilers, who’ve won seven of their last 10 games. Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin each had three points for the Golden Knights (16-8-10), who are winless in their last three games (0-2-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid has overtaken Nathan MacKinnon, sitting in first place in the scoring race with 62 points, one ahead of the Colorado Avalanche center.

Oilers forward Trent Frederic was a healthy scratch from this game. The club also announced that goaltender Tristan Jarry will be out for two weeks with an injury, and activated winger Jack Roslovic from long-term injury reserve.

Speaking of MacKinnon, he scored twice to become the first player to reach 30 goals this season in a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Cale Makar and Brock Nelson each had a goal and two assists for the 26-2-7 Avalanche, who’ve won five straight games and remain in first place in the overall standings with 59 points. Ryan Hartman replied for the Wild (22-10-5) as their seven-game win streak ended.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon had led the points race for weeks and seemed poised to run away with the Art Ross Trophy. McDavid’s surge in recent weeks indicates this could be an exciting race over the second half of the season.

An overtime goal by Moritz Seider lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the Washington Capitals 3-2. Cam Talbot made 31 saves for the Red Wings (21-13-3), as they hold first place in the Atlantic Division with 45 points. Ethen Frank scored both goals for the 19-12-5 Capitals, who have two wins in their last seven contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Red Wings forward Patrick Kane missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss Tuesday’s match against the Dallas Stars. Meanwhile, the Wings removed Mason Appleton from injured reserve after a 10-game absence.

The Ottawa Senators defeated the Boston Bruins 6-2. Fabian Zetterlund scored two goals and picked up an assist while Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens each had a goal and two assists for the Senators (18-13-4), as they collected their fourth straight win. David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha tallied for the 20-16-1 Bruins, who are 1-3-1 in their last five contests.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 26 shots as his club extended its win streak to six games with a 3-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Josh Norris, Zach Benson, and Peyton Krebs scored for the 17-14-4 Sabres. Jack Hughes scored for the Devils (20-15-1).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Hughes’ first game since missing 18 games with an injured hand. Speaking of the Sabres, it has been confirmed that they’ve added Marc Bergevin as associate general manager and Josh Flynn as assistant GM.

Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg scored to extend his points streak to eight games as his club nipped the New York Rangers 2-1. Steven Stamkos also scored for the Predators (15-16-4), who have won five of their last seven contests. Jonny Brodzinski replied for the 18-16-4 Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Rangers were without team captain J.T. Miller, who is considered week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

The Dallas Stars picked up their fourth straight win by downing the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1. Jake Oettinger made 27 saves, and Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist for the 25-7-5 Stars. Scott Laughton scored for the Maple Leafs (15-15-5), who have lost four of their last five games.

An overtime goal by Clayton Keller gave the Utah Mammoth a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Keller and Mikhail Sergachev each finished with two points for the Mammoth, who improved to 18-17-3. Kyle Connor scored two goals for the (15-17-3) Jets, who have three wins in their last 16 games.